Nation’s Leaders Praise Kissinger

President Nixon, Vice-President Gerald Ford, House Speaker Carl Albert and a score of leaders of the major committees of both Houses of Congress gave Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger a “round of applause” when he appeared at the White House today to report on his 11-day 15,600 mile trip to the Middle East.

Their bipartisan show of support punctuated their expressions of admiration of Kissinger’s “shuttle diplomacy” that they made clear has their full support. But they also made clear that the disengagement of the Israeli and Egyptian forces that he had engineered is “a preliminary step” in the process towards peace in the area.

Foreign Relations Committee chairman J. William Fulbright (D.Ark.), Minority Leader Hugh Scott (R.Pa.), Strom Thurmond (R.S.C.) ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the chairman of that committee, John Stennis (D.Miss.), joined after the meeting in praising Kissinger’s work as “magnificent” and “a great job.” Scott saw the Kissinger engineered disengagement as meaning the “removal” of the “largest single blockade” to the “ultimate lifting” of the oil embargo against the United States by the Arab oil producing states. He would not, however, make any predictions when the embargo would be lifted.

In an exclusive interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Fulbright said that Kissinger had “done a very good job” and that his trip achieved “a very good preliminary step.” This is the “only time” he noted, that “such negotiations have taken place.” Fulbright was reminded that he had said in October to the JTA that Israel should be assured of “physical and political security” and he was asked what he thought of the separation agreement in relation to that security.

“It is in the interests of Israel,” Fulbright replied. “Israel is more exposed than anyone.” When it was observed that Egypt and Israel did not have face-to-face meetings for the disengagement agreement, Fulbright replied that they are “engaged in the process of negotiations” and “the climate is moving in that direction.” He said the disengagement is “a beginning process to be carried on in Geneva.”

Asked about the Soviet role in the disengagement process Fulbright said “the Russians have not obstructed it and have been cooperative.” Kissinger, he added, “could not have done it without their acquiescence but he is the initiator and deserves the credit.”

Stennis told JTA that “I am very much encouraged by this preliminary step as far as it goes.” Thurmond also emphasized the “preliminary” nature of the disengagement. “I repeat,” he cautioned, “This is just the first step. We should keep that in mind.”